California Could Be the First State to Ban Quartz Countertops

Key Points:

• California is considering becoming the first state to ban engineered stone (quartz) due to a silicosis epidemic that has killed 30 workers and sickened over 550 since 2019, primarily affecting young Latino men in stone fabrication jobs.
• A petition by the Western Occupational & Environmental Medical Association proposes banning engineered stone with more than 1% crystalline silica, following Australia's 2024 ban, but faces opposition from industry stakeholders citing increased costs and safety compliance.
• Current California law bans dry cutting and mandates wet cutting, ventilation, and respirators, but experts argue these measures are insufficient because engineered stone's high silica content produces toxic dust that is difficult to control without eliminating the material entirely.
• The California Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board will decide on the proposed ban at a public hearing, with uncertain outcomes as board members acknowledge safety issues but have not publicly committed to a ban, while enforcement and prosecution of violations are being emphasized.
• Even if a ban is approved, implementation could take years, during which silicosis cases are expected to rise; experts urge consumers and designers to support safer alternatives like amorphous silica stone slabs to protect workers immediately.